Those Left Behind
by Maddie
Summary: A vignette retelling the scene in Children of the Gods, in which Daniel takes leave of the people of Abydos.


TITLE: Those Left Behind  
SPOILERS: Children of the Gods  
SEASON / SEQUEL: Set in first season  
RATING: K+  
CONTENT WARNINGS: None   
SUMMARY: Retelling of the scene from Children of the Gods in which Daniel takes leave of the people of Abydos.  
ARCHIVE: Please ask first  
DISCLAIMER: "Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors." In other words...the characters and the Stargate belong to them but the plot belongs to me.

_Those Left Behind_

By, Maddie

Nabeh pushed himself slowly to his feet. Excess adrenaline, produced in the heat of battle, was now expended in the uncontrollable quivering of his arms and legs. He licked dry lips coated with dust and rubbed at his eyes to clear his vision. The air in the enclosed chamber reeked of burned cloth, the sharp metallic tang of human blood, and the ionized residue of discharged staff weapons. There was a dull throbbing ache in his head, the aftershock of a staff blast that had struck close enough to knock him off his feet and leave him momentarily stunned. He had been incapacitated for only a few minutes, but in that time his world had changed violently for the second time in his short life. The golden invader, with his armored guards, had burst upon their quiet world. Though he and his friends had fought valiantly, their efforts had not been enough. His good friend Skaara and his sister Sha're were gone, through the Chaapa'ai with the invaders, captives of a god who was supposed to be dead.

Turning slowly toward the now quiet Stargate, Nabeh fought back a sudden wave of nausea. Scattered about the room like rag dolls tossed in a desert storm were the bodies of his friends, and the Earth warriors who had come searching for Dan'el. Some were moving feebly and groaning, others lay twisted into positions impossible for a body that was not broken beyond repair. And everywhere there was blood. Too much blood. He knew he should help, knew he should do something, but he could not force himself to move. His mind kept running in the same frantic circle, reliving the last few minutes, staring in helpless, paralyzed horror as his best friend Skaara was literally carried away. And Sha're. She too was gone. Nabeh shuddered to think how Dan'el, the quiet, gentle teacher, would react to his wife's abduction by the hated Goa'uld. Who, in this room, would tell Dan'el the horrible news?

Before Nabeh could stir himself to action a new commotion came from behind him. Turning unsteadily he braced himself against the wall as the newcomers rushed into the chamber. Dan'el had returned from the map room with the Earth warriors. Too late. Far too late. They rushed to the aid of their fallen companions, even as his own people recovered enough from their shock to move to the sides of the wounded. Dan'el himself leaned over Balaa, a boy Nabeh's age, held him gently, heard from his dying mouth the words Nabeh had feared to speak. Sha're was gone. Nabeh could feel the teacher's pain as he rose to his feet staring at the carnage around him. Alone, silent in the center of tumult, Dan'el Jackson stood, stoop shouldered, an inexpressible sadness crossed his features, and Nabeh heard his softly spoken words "It's all my fault."

Nabeh wanted to go to him, to tell him that such horror would never be his fault. He had helped to defeat Ra. He had brought learning and a renewed sense of self worth to the people of Abydos, who had been pawns of the false god for too many centuries, . He was truly and deeply loved by the people who had become his students, his family. Before Nabeh could speak, the Earth commander, O'Neill, called to Dan'el. They exchanged words in a foreign tongue Nabeh could hear but not understand. Then Dan'el was calling to them all, gathering those that could still stand around him. Nabeh did not like the look on the teacher's face. It spoke of infinite regret. For a moment Dan'el stood with hands on his hips and his head down. When he spoke in the language of Abydos, his voice was charged with suppressed emotion.

"After we go through the Chaapa'ai, you have to bury it like we did before and...and leave this place."

Nabeh could not believe the words Dan'el spoke, what he asked them to do. He would not believe them. He knew what it meant to bury the Chaapa'ai. "You come back!" he blurted anxiously, finding his voice at last.

"No...I can't...nobody can. That's what I'm telling you. Not for a...long time. Now as soon as we're gone, I want you to close it...bury it...put a...a big heavy cover stone over it. Nothing good could ever some through this gate." Dan'el's words had come out in a rush as though he dared not stop for fear he could not continue. His voice was edged with passion, not unlike the passion with which he lectured on the potential and beauty of the knowledge he worked so hard to share with them. "Do you understand me?"

Nabeh could feel the heads around him nodding , felt his own bob in agreement, but at the same time felt his heart breaking. "You came through it, Dan'el," Nabeh said, fighting the tears that stung his eyes. He wished he hadn't spoken the words. Wished he could erase the pain and loss engraved on the teacher's face. Knew that nothing he said or did could accomplish that.

Dan'el seemed to catch his breath, steadying his voice before he continued, apparently aware that all eyes and thoughts were upon him, clinging desperately to each word he said. His tone was gentle, as it often was. "Do you remember the story I told you. How the ancient Egyptians back on Earth cut themselves off from Ra...well that is exactly what you have to do. Then in one year...one year from this day... You take the cover stone away. I will try to bring Sha're home with me on that day. But if I don't make it back...If I don't..." his voice began to crack and Nabeh saw the moisture glistening in his blue eyes, "If I don't return...then you must bury the gate again forever." Nabeh felt his own breath catch in a throat too tight to speak. "Joa Qua?"

Nabeh nodded, not trusting his voice to convey his thoughts.

"You tell Sha're's father. In one year..."

Nabeh moved in to hug the teacher fiercely. The people closed around Dan'el, each individual reaching out to touch him, as though by touching they could forever have a part of him with them. Some wrapped their arms around him, others touched the hem of his sleeve, his hand, or a lock of his fair hair. None wanted to let him slip from their lives. Nabeh felt like he had as a child, hanging on to his father's robes, begging him not to go as the guards of Ra dragged him away. When Dan'el finally pushed free from their embrace, Nabeh looked into his face, and saw the tears coursing down the teacher's cheeks. It hurt Dan'el to leave as much as it hurt them to see him go. Ordering them to bury the Chaapa'ai was ordering them to forget he had lived.

Quickly, as though afraid he might change his mind if he hesitated, Dan'el stepped up to the Chaapa'ai and began encoding the sequence of glyphs that would open the gate again. He did not hesitate, nor look back, but stepped through he watery surface, into oblivion.

Nabeh watched the shimmering surface of the Chaapa'ai ripple then rupture into nothing. A deadly silence filled the chamber broken only by a single choked sob from one of the wounded. Dan'el was gone. Skaara was gone. Sha're was gone. Only when the passage faded did he allow himself to succumb to his emotions. Sinking to his knees, tears streaming down his face, Nabeh made a vow, to himself and to his friend Skaara and to the teacher who had touched them all. One year. In one year, he himself would be here to help unbury the Chaapa'ai, and to greet Dan'el as he came again, in triumph, with Skaara and Sha're, or he would be here to bury the gate, and that part of his life, forever.

The End


End file.
